I really do think McCain is trying to put off the debates and not for the stated reasons he saying publically . . . especially with this new announcement and him saying well it's not a done deal yet, so let's hold off on the debating. If this is McCain's strong point, why is Obama pushing for it when he is rising in the polls?
Actually, the first debate is considered to be the most important. And if you don't think Obama is posturing just the same, you're even more naive. Bottom line, he thinks his candidacy is more important than doing his part to help shepherd this bill through.
Because if the credit markets haven't been fixed by the time this debate covering national security and foreign policy comes around two things will happen. First, the emphasis in the questions will be on economics, not security issues. Second, any news that is made in these debates will be stepped on by the credit market crisis.
McCain wants the first debate moved to Oct. 2 where the VP debate is and to reschedule the VP debate a few days later where the first debate was to be held. That's what I read. So, first debate would be next thursday instead of this friday.
Really? What the heck is going on . . . I would hope it isn't politics and this stupid election (I'm a little pissed) that is getting in the way of dealing with this problem. It doesn't take much to stall an agreement, do you know what happened and who is saying there is no agreement. I'll probably eat crow right now, but my guess is some high powered republican is saying we don't have an agreement. Agin hope I'm worng and this isn't about politics, but there was a bi-partisian agreement hours ago.
Sounds like the Dems announced the non-deal. Why? I just heard that the Paulson plan is basically dead at this point.
No bailout agreement after White House meeting * Story Highlights * NEW: Dodd: 'I'm not quite sure' what McCain said in the meeting * Republican senator says no bailout deal is coming * GOP leaders having difficulty getting Republicans on board * McCain, Obama meet with Bush, politicians at White House (CNN) -- Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama both left President Bush's financial bailout meeting at the White House after 5 p.m. Thursday without making statements to reporters. Officials said Obama will make a statement at the Mayflower Hotel. Although McCain's campaign said he will spend the night in the Washington area, CNN has learned that the University of Mississippi -- site of the first presidential debate Friday -- has been told by the Presidential Debate Commission to continue preparing for the event. Both McCain and Obama advance teams were seen on stage going through sound and video checks from their candidates' respective podiums. In Washington, White House press secretary Dana Perino released a statement saying, "The president appreciates the bipartisan members of the congressional leadership and the two presidential candidates coming to the White House today to discuss how to finalize the financial rescue package. There is a clear sense of urgency and agreement on the need to stabilize the financial markets, and prevent a massive financial crisis from affecting everybody in America." The statement went on to say that the group will continue to work on a deal. But according to Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, who attended the meeting, "we will not have a deal." Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, who also attended the meeting, said Thursday that the meeting was contentious and blasted what he calls McCain's inaction. "I'm not quite sure what John McCain said at the meeting. He said something. ... He had no indication he was for any particular plans. I don't know where he is on all of this," Dodd said. The meeting included the following key players: Bush flanked at the table by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Obama and McCain on opposite ends of the table, House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also between the two presidential candidates and Vice President Dick Cheney across from Bush. In a statement at the beginning of the meeting, Bush said he hopes for a deal to bail out Wall Street "very shortly." He said the nation is in a "serious economic crisis" that needs to be dealt with "as quickly as possible" and that the historic meeting is "an attempt to move the process forward." But according to several Republican aides, there is still major opposition to the "agreement on fundamental principles." The fact that House Republicans are still not coming on board poses a major obstacle for any kind of deal. Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders have repeatedly said that this is Bush's bill and that he and other GOP leaders need to get Republicans to support it. McCain, who announced Wednesday that he was suspending his presidential campaign until a bailout plan was worked out, met with some Republican House members to try to bring more of them on board to back the agreement, according to a source in the room and one who was briefed on the meeting. The gist of the meeting, according to sources, was that these members "aren't there yet" on the plan the Senate Banking Committee worked out and say there needs to be greater protection for taxpayers. One Republican aide said that "not much has changed in the last 24 to 48 hours. I think it has to be pretty radically altered for House Republicans to support it." This aide stressed, "at the end of the day, these members represent the people who sent them here, and the people who sent them here are so overwhelmingly opposed to this." This aide said the calls coming into GOP offices are 90 to 1 against the plan. Boehner, R-Ohio, has tapped a group of House Republicans to develop alternative ideas. Earlier, Boehner released a statement that said, "I am encouraged by the bipartisan progress being made toward an economic package that protects the interests of families, seniors, small businesses, and all taxpayers." It's unclear whether McCain agreed with this approach, but one aide said he put the principles "in his satchel to take over to the White House." Republicans recognize that there is pressure building to get something done before the end of the week. "There sort of a tacit understanding among everyone that it has to happen before Monday," a third GOP aide said. House Republican leaders are scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. ET in Boehner's office to talk about next steps and what comes out of the White House meeting. Obama turned down McCain's suggestion that they both suspend their campaigns to focus on securing a deal on a bailout plan. He also passed on McCain's suggestion that they postpone Friday night's first presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi. Democrats fear that McCain will take credit for bringing reluctant Republicans around to agreeing with a bailout plan in order to bolster his argument that he would be a better leader in crises than Obama. "The Democrats, of course, are very afraid that McCain is going to swoop into these delicate negotiations on Capitol Hill at the last minute and when they reach an agreement, he's going to claim credit for having brought those negotiations to a successful conclusion," CNN senior political researcher Alan Silverleib said. A McCain source insists that the Arizona senator is aware of the politics involved and recognizes that Democrats -- and even some Republicans -- are wary of having it appear that McCain is brokering a deal. Both candidates touched on the economic crisis at former President Clinton's Clinton Global Initiative conference before heading to Washington. McCain told the audience that it is not the time to engage in presidential politics. "It's time for everyone to recall that the political process is not an end in itself, nor is it intended to serve those of us who are in the middle of it. In the Senate of the United States, our duty is to serve the people of this country," he said. VideoWatch more of McCain's remarks » Obama also pressed his position on the crisis plaguing Wall Street -- and Main Street -- to Clinton's group. "It's outrageous that we find ourselves in a position where taxpayers bear the burden and the risk for greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington," he said. "But we also know that a failure to act would have grave consequences for the jobs, and savings, and retirement of the American people." CNN's Dana Bash, Peter Hamby and Ed Hornick contributed to this report. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/25/campaign.wrap/index.html
Sounds like the Dems got a little bit rider happy, and my guess is that the GOP wanting to cap executive pay-outs is a sticking point. The Dem plan has uncapped parachutes for the execs.
To embarrass McCain as he hadn't yet shown up in DC. They were banking on the fact that a deal actually was done. Unfortunately as part of the deal, there need to be at least 100 Republicans voting for the deal in the House. Now, there's a revolt from the right, who would prefer the Federal Government act as an insurance agency rather than an investment fund. And the fact is, I don't blame them.
I read that there were both republican and democrats announcing a deal had been reached. But I acknowledge that democrats are playing with this issue just as much (or maybe more or maybe only them). I'm cynical but this I feel this urgent issue is being used by both parties for poltical gain with the election upcoming. Sad.
Yep. Both parties seemed to have put their interests over those of the economy. It makes me sick to my stomach.
I don't think it's cynical. I think it's a simple fact of politics: Opportunists feast on both crisis and great periods of success. It's times of uneventful growth that are slim pickings for making big, quick political capital.
I really hope whichever bill comes out is named the Democrat-Republican-Independent-Bush-Obama-McCain-Pelosi-Reid-All-Of-The-Above Bill. Only in DC does who gets credit goes ahead of getting something done.
Is it? I don't know much, but I do know that I get really nervous whenever anything makes it through Congress that quickly. It seems to me that some of the strongest economic times we've ever had came on the heels of prolonged gridlock...
Funny thing about the debate (if it happens) is people will see it the way they see this move to delay the debate. If you are for McCain, then his answers were sufficient and he won the debate. If you are for Obama, then his answers were suffcient and he won the debate.
Actually not. Last time, fans of Kerry were sure he won the debate, as if it were some high school debate contest. Fans of Bush were sure he lost the debate, but he got a big bump in the polls. In other words, you can try to win it for winning's sake, or you can try go get your message out or otherwise make the "winner" look like an asshole that many won't like enough to want to vote for.
It looks like we all spoke too soon. It appears the one sticking point was President Bush delivering 100 House Republicans, and he couldn't do it. So now it's back the drawing board.
